Leicester City are reportedly among three Premier League clubs monitoring Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron ahead of a potential January loan move.
City join Crystal Palace and Wolves in keeping tabs on the Paraguayan, according to the Sun, with an exit in the offing amid a lack of game-time in the first half of the season. Almiron has started just once in the Premier League this term.
Whether Newcastle would sanction a loan move is another matter. They’re desperate for cash to help with PSR and fund arrivals. In any case, City could only bring in Almiron on loan if they were to send Odsonne Edouard back to Crystal Palace or Facundo Buonanotte returns to Brighton as only two intra-Premier League loans per club are allowed at any one time.
A left-footed, right-sided winger, Almiron would fill the hole left by the injured Abdul Fatawu if signed on loan. But aside from one amazing patch of form before the World Cup in 2022, when he scored seven goals in seven games, he’s never been the most prolific of wide-men.
Last season, he registered three goals and one assist in the Premier League at a rate of one goal involvement every 487 minutes. That works out at a goal involvement, on average, once every five-and-a-half matches.
City target Uzbek defender
Lens may have to sell up-and-coming centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov this January and City are one of the clubs who would look to take advantage, according to L’Equipe. That’s if they’re willing to part with €25-30m (£21-25m).
The French side are looking to balance the books and rake in €44m in January, and feel Khusanov is the man that can get them there quickest. It’s not just City, who played against him in pre-season, who are taking a look at the 20-year-old, with Man City, Tottenham, Newcastle and RB Leipzig also keen.
The Uzbekistan international has become a key player for Lens this campaign, a year after he moved from Energetik-BGU in Belarus, and has played 15 of their 17 games, only missing two through a red-card suspension. An excellent reader of the game, Khusanov ranks second in Ligue 1 for interceptions this term, while he’s strong in the air and quick across the ground too.
It’s not definite that he’s sold though. Lens are only looking to part with one of their two first-choice centre-backs to avoid too much disruption, with Khusanov’s partner Kevin Danso also being targeted.
Valladolid teenager on radar
Khusanov is not the only young centre-back City have been linked to in recent days. Real Valladolid’s 18-year-old Juma Bah is also on their radar, according to Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo.
Newcastle are also taking a look at the teenager, who has had a rapid rise to the top. Only signed out of his home nation Sierra Leone in the summer, he was initially picked up Valladolid to play for their B team. But he impressed to the point that he’s now a regular in La Liga.
He’s had plenty of defending to do too, with Valladolid battling relegation, but he’s impressed, particularly in the air, where his 6ft 5in frame has allowed him to dominate. It would be a surprise if he was being targeted by City as a starter though, as he’s only played 10 senior matches in Europe in his career.
Plus, Ruud van Nistelrooy has publicly said he's fairly happy with his centre-back options. He's said he has a "great luxury" with Conor Coady, Jannik Vestergaard, Wout Faes, and Caleb Okoli to choose from.
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